Home Design Service,

Apolonija Sustersic,

The Leidsche Rijn housing project is currently under construction inUtrecht. 30,000 houses are being built in what is the largest vinex-locatie(new housing development) in the Netherlands. The first buyers have already moved into their new homes, but Leidsche Rijn will take at least anotherten years to 'finish'. In the coming few years, Leidsche Rijn will becharacterised by simultaneous living and building in an transitional phase. Home Design Service is a project by the artist Apolonija Sustersic.According to Sustersic, who studied architecture, the temporary is aneglected subject in architecture, for those in the profession are alwaysconcerned with creating something permanent: everything is planned with theidea that it is to be permanent. Thus, mobile or temporary structures are,by definition, deviations from the regulated, the controlled. InSustersic's view, however, such uncontrolled change is actually anessential element of the whole process leading from planning to living. Themost 'uncontrolled' aspect of a new housing project is the interior designof the houses and the layout of the gardens. Once the houses are completed,the occupants move in and the decorating and furnishing starts - theinterior becomes a reflection of individual and personal ideas about living. In the Home Design Service, temporarily set up by Apolonija Sustersic, theartist will give free advice and information on interior design to currentand future residents of Leidsche Rijn. The platform for this advice centrewill be the Casco-mobile, with an awning and terrace added for theoccasion.>From 21 June to 8 July 2001, the mobile Home Design Service will be open tovisitors on Langerakbaan in Leidsche Rijn. The Casco-mobile will beequipped with a library on interior design. Here, you will be able tobrowse through books, periodicals and catalogues. As usual in theCasco-mobile, a cup of coffee will be served to visitors. During the project in Leidsche Rijn, Casco will be showing video interviewswith some residents of the new estate. They will be talking to ApolonijaSustersic about the interiors of their own homes, and these will form thebackdrop for the videos. Apolonija Sustersic (Lljubljana, 1965) studied art and architecture. In herwork she explores the social, political and economic implications ofarchitecture in the physical and the psychological sense, as well as therelationship between 'the object' and the user.Her most recent projects focus on the changing functions of architectureand the urban landscape, where living and working are increasinglysurrounded by commerce, entertainment and culture. Apolonija Sustersic'sprojects include 'Juice Bar' for Manifesta 2 (1998), 'Light Therapy' forModerna Museet (1999) and 'City Lounge' for the Berlin Bienniale (2001).